Tim Kelleher EXP 121 Stoves and Cooking 2020
Hobo Stoves/Homemade (HS)
You can add a damper if you'd like (HS)
Make your own ash stand (HS)
Ash fire stand goes inside the stove (HS)
Cut a door (HS)
Metal skewer for pot stand (HS)
Make air vents (HS)
Hammer/somethings similar (HS)
Nail or something sharp (HS)
Punch-Type bottle opener (HS)
Something to cut can with (HS)
Hobo stove heater (HS)
3 large cans stacked on top of each other (HS)
Cut open cans to reflect the heat back on you (HS)
Use a metal can (HS)
Fuels ZS
Label your fuel! The wrong fuel can harm a stove BG
Fuel bottles
fuel bottles should only be used for one type of fuel (white gas, kerosene, alcohol) and clearly marked (LZ)
White Gas ZS
Evaporates quickly if spilled AJ
Spilling it on skin during winter can cause frostbite by evaporative cooling TK
Cheap, camping fuel can be bought in a variety of places. ZS
Good for melting snow ZS
More sustainable as the same bottle can keep being refilled ZS
Kerosene ZS
Burns dirtier than white gas but can be used as an alternative if needed ZS
builds more soot than other fuels (LZ)
Isobutane Canisters ZS
Annoying to buy and not great in colder temperatures ZS
certain canisters are designed to fit inside jetboil stoves (LZ)
Unleaded Gasoline TK
TK
Much cheaper than nearly every other fuel
Should only use as a short term fuel
Some stoves will accept this as an alternative fuel
Produces much more soot than other fuels
You can find it almost anywhere on the planet
Alcohol ZS
Not great in cold weather. ZS
Damages some materials of common equipment if spilled ZS
Wood BR
Some areas do not allow open fires
Most natural fuel out there AJ
wooden kindling is useless when wet (LZ)
finding dry fuel can be time consuming (LZ)
Fat wood is most efficient (AW)
Dutch Oven BR
Requires abundance of coals
Aluminum
Lighter but less durable
can crack under high heat (LZ)
Heavy
Cast Iron
Durable but very heavy
Rust will ruin cast iron BG
Kelly Kettle BR
Engaging to keep it going while sitting around camp RS
Useful for boiling water
Uses wood
Make wood into very small pieces of tinder
Requires constant attention
kelly kettles go out very easily without constantly being fed wood (LZ)
Heavy
smaller sizes of kelly kettles exist (LZ)
plug should only be over the water opening when not boiling water
Becomes projectile because of pressure
plug and chain is used as a handle for pouring water (LZ)
Baking
Practice just a few recipes and have them as your go-to BR
Important to practice baking in the backcountry so that you'll have a successful, tasty meal for your clients (AW)
Yeast
yeast can be used to raise breads but is too unreliable for camp cooking. yeast dough needs to stay 75F to 90F to rise (LZ)
baking soda
flour
cornmeal/grits
Can pre prepare wet mixes for your baking RS
Try new backcountry recipes often TK
The more that you cook, and the more complex things you cook, the better you will be.
With knowledge of different stoves
With actual cooking
Even if you don't like the recipe, you can learn new techniques
The more you try the more options you have to eat, and you can pick the best of them
Stove care RS
Windshields not only help increase the effectiveness of the stove, it also helps reduce the chance of dirt and debris getting into the stove. RS
Windshields also protect nearby items from the stove- It's much harder to knock something into the flame when it's surrounded by a sheet of metal TK
If storing for an extended time, store fuel in a separate canister than the fuel bottle. RS
MSR
Dust and dirt can easily clog fuel lines. Keep it clean. RS
Regularly clean out soot from stove and housing RS
Keep in a cool dry environment when not in use RS
Carry a stove repair kit if using MSR's on extended trips RS
Always use fuel that is appropriate to the individual stove, cater your stove choice to the fuels available to you. RS
Trangia
Do not add more fuel into the stove until it is cool and has completely burned out RS
Let the stove fully cool before storing RS
Make sure to use the snuffer not the cap on trangia stoves RS
Place the smaller pieces in a bag to avoid loosing RS
Keep in a cool dry environment when not in use RS
Canister
Sparkers are notoriously fragile, keeping your stove clean will make it last longer. RS
If you plan on storing the stove for extended periods, open the wings RS
Keep in a cool dry environment when not in use RS
Canister Stoves (AW)
Disadvantages of Canister Stoves (AM)
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More expensive than alcohol and liquid fuel stoves (AM)
Hard to know how much fuel is left RS
Canisters will float in water with the waterline being exactly how full it is TK
Stoves require compatible isobutene canisters (AM)
Compatible canisters not always readily available (AM)
Not reliable in extreme cold (AM)
Has a pricey winter mix
More difficult to service and repair problems than other stoves TK
click to edit
Often have a relatively small flame and pot stand TK
Not enough for heavy duty cooking TK
Pocket Rocket (AW)
Very easy to use (AW)
packs down small (AW)
Light weight (AW)
Boiling time: 3.5 min (AW)
Jet Boil (AW)
Not good for simmering or cooking meals BG
Great for meals based around just boiling water BG
Boils water very fast BG
perfect for solo-camping (MK)
can only be used to boil water (LZ)
uses too much fuel for multiple peoples worth of boiled water (LZ)
Extremely fuel efficient TK
Hygiene protocols (ACK)
Avoid Leftovers (ACK)
Cook Food Thoroughly (ACK)
Always clean and disinfect hands before preparing or consuming food (ACK)
Clean Pots, Pans, and Utensils (ACK)
Proper storage and transportation of food (ACK)
Safety Protocols for backcountry cooking (ACK)
Don't leave a stove unattended (ACK)
After meals, immediately store all food and trash (ACK)
Plan and package your meals (ACK)
Do a trial run with your cooking stove (ACK)
Label all combustible liquids (ACK)
General Categories of Stoves (AM)
Canister Stoves (AM)
Liquid Fuel Stoves (AM)
Alcohol Burning (AM)
Solid Fuel Burning (AM)
Wood Burning Stoves (AM)
Homemade
Stove Maintenance (MK)
take apart stove to clean ALL parts every so often (MK)
scrub each piece with metal brush (MK)
dismantling the stove forces you to become more familiar with how it works (MK)
always fire it up before a trip to ensure that it works and all pieces are good to go (MK)
WHEN USING: (MK)
PUT FUEL ALL THE WAY OUT/OFF BEFORE PUTTING AWAY (MK)
clear the surrounding area of sticks and debris (MK)
double-check the fuel requirement (MK) BEFORE LIGHTING
focus on the flame, do not let it get too crazy or out-of-hand (MK) no need to cause fires
Trangia Stove (AW)
stable setup and self-supporting (MK)
Best for long-distance hikers on a budget (AM)
On the contrary the stove element can be sealed back up and leftover fuel can be stored ZS
Easy to use up a lot of fuel due to the nature of the stove element. ZS
All components pack into themselves for better packing ZS
Packing is easy since all parts fit inside the stove (AJ)
quick and easy set up (AJ)
Uses alcohol as fuel (AJ)
Not efficient in cold weather (AJ)
Fuel is easy to get (AJ)
One of the most robust stoves available, there isnt many parts that can go wrong ZS
flame is transparent (AW)
MSR Stoves AJ
Best for cooking for large groups (AM)
Stable base allows for larger pots and pans (AM)
Liquid fuel is less expensive than canister fuel (AM)
Works well in freezing temperatures (AM)
Dragonfly AJ
Burns almost any fuel (AW)
Good simmer control can cook more advanced meals on them AJ
Heavier than other stoves on the market AJ
Stable cooking base for pots or pans AJ
Must prime stove AJ
must pressurize fuel bottle before use AJ
average boil time: 3.5 min (AW)
Whisper Lite AJ
Must prime stove AJ
Comes in an international version that can take kerosine as fuel. dirtier flame can clog up stove with soot AJ
Can't simmer the flame as well AJ
Very light as far as liquid fuel stoves go AJ
Must pressurize fuel bottle AJ
average boil time: 3.5 min (AW)
Can take white gas fuel (AW)
Disadvantages of Liquid Fuel Stoves (AM)
Must purchase fuel bottle which increases overall price (AM)
More complicated and time consuming to use (AM)
Require more maintenance than other stoves (AM)
they can tip over, causing fires (MK)
the fuel burns fast (MK)
fuel can spill easily, causing waste (MK)
Liquid fuel allows you to measure out exactly how much fuel you will need for a trip TK
You can avoid having to carry too much extra weight
This does require more advanced planing of recording how much fuel you use on average
Leave yourself some buffer room, not the bare minimum
:
People
Tim Kelleher
Brian Graf BG
Amelia Carter-Kelly (ACK)
Zachary Smith
Logan Zeeuw (LZ)
Michaela Kruger (MK)
Audri Walworth
Ryan Szuch RS
Amy Macaluso (AM)
Andrew Jarvis (AJ)
Haley Steffey (HS)
Ben Rosenberg BR
Steve
Ben Koblensky
Everyone is head chef of their own kitchen when we're in the backcountry. But for your kitchen of one to work well you need to know the ins and outs. Know what stove you prefer and why. Know how to use it and maintain it. And most important of all, take some time to practice cooking some killer meals on a tiny stove. Who knows, you might impress someone someday.